Why a Booktrail?
1939: A tale of love, betrayal and shocking secrets
Stones of the Madonna
What you need to know before your trail
It’s 1939 and Lily and her American doctor husband James have come to the Amalfi coast in southern Italy in search of a new start. And how could they not be happy in a place where the scenery is stunning, the locals generous and welcoming, where the air is filled with the fragrance of jasmine and the laughter of children?
But escaping the past isn’t so easy.
In the sultry silence of one of the hottest summers for years Lily discovers things about herself that she never knew. She discovers things about James too, things she’d sooner not know. And though the chill and looming shadow of war edges closer and closer, ultimately it is not the war that poses the biggest threat to Lily’s new found contentment…
Locations
ResetTravel Guide
The Amalfi Coast
Beautifully drawn with the train journey from Rome to Naples and then the boat across to Sorrento. The village where the book is set is not far from here but never mentioned by name.
The Madonna
“The Madonna , who the villagers turned to when they needed: a listening ear, the money for a new coat, a miracle. When she disappointed them the forgave her, When they disappointed her, they would be punished, sent off to say a string of Hail Marys , to drop coins they couldn’t afford into the polished wooden box at the back of the church.”
It’s a little village where Lily goes and she’s amazed at the lifestyle there, the “paths which led up the hills and beyond, to the foot of the mountains that hung behind the village like a dark, heavy curtain” The Italian pre-war back drop is masterfully drawn and gives a romantic atmosphere to the story.
Booktrail Boarding Pass Information: Stones of the Madonna
Destination: Amalfi Coast Author/Guide: Jan Mazzoni Departure Time: 1939
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